The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-03-23
Washington Letter.
From Our Own Correspondent
WASHINGTON, March 19, 1887.

It is now the belief of many leading men
of the Democratic party, some Of whom are
occasionally called to the White House for
counsel and advice, that the President will
ask the Flftiety Congress to convene in ex-
ira session early in October. If he does,
there are several reasons that will prompt
the unpopular step.
It is a we'll known fact that Congress
scarcely ever does anything like real work
until after the holiday recess It goes with
out saying also that the two great parties in
Congress will be surcharged with politics
next year and their time will be largely de-
voted to President making So, unless
some Of the important legislation to come
before it, can be matured at an earlier day
than the course of the regular session would
make possible, there would be but little
hope for its success.
The experience Of the past two winters in
Congress has shown very clearly that the in
terests of the country have become altogeth-
er too vast and complicated to be thorough
ly looked after and kept up within the time
afforded by the regular sessions. Much of
the first, or the long session as it is usually
called, is devoted to the form mulation of bu-
siness for the second or short session, and
VIC IuoAuSoS luOo OC1C1SS @1OAu Ouc Sdl W
to another-in many cases business Of the
mort urgent importance-iS hurled in to the
whirl OF the last ten days or two weeks OF
Congress, to be Lut half done or badly done
or not done at all.
Some idea Of the manner in which the
Forty-Ninth Congress wound up it's work
nay be found in the declaration Of mem
Der of long experience that the record re-
vealeG the tact, that one quarter of the legis-
lation of the session had been enacted in the
last six legislative days. An enrolling clerk
of twelve years Of service said that never
in that length Of time had he witnessed the
haste exhibited in the last tWcnty-four hours
of the Congress which has just expired.
During the recess of the Upper House, for
the Senate which only renews one-thlrd Of
itself biennially, is a perennially organized
body and goes on forever, some Of TIE Sen
ators will 60 to Europe, Mr. Ingalls,, of
Kansas, the newly elected President of the
Senate, says he is not one of those who can
indulge in such luxury, however. When
asked if he proposed to spend the summer
abroad. he replied, mot unless some good
fairy pityingly puts money in my purse.
He added that European pleasures called
for more filthy lucre than he could COM
mand.
When some astonishment was expressed |
that the President of that great millionaires |
club the United States Senate, could not af-
ford trip across the Atlantic in these days
Of low prices and rapid transit, the Senator
said it was the plain unvarnished truth, and
that there were quite number Of the mem
bers of the millionaires' club in that predic-
ament He thinks a great deal of uuneces-
sary nonsense is written about Senatorial
and Senatorial wealth, and as
serts that in reality large majority of his
eonfreres have nothing but their salaries to
i've on.
Senator Spooner is not too poverty strick-
~ to plan summer trip to Europe, how
ever, and Senator Palmer, who is one of the
possessors of millions. is going
o bring his invalid wife home. The latter
las been called the philosophical million
ire, and is fond of talking epigramlcally of
ife and the uselessness of immense wealth.
lis Washington residence is one Of the
landsomest brown stone fronts in the city,
,ut he says the happiest man is the one who
las the most illusions. Speaking Of his oc-
asional trips abroad, he said he wanted to
et all he could out of them before he got
1T older, for it took youth as well as money
. enjoy Europe or anything else.
The prominent business men Of this city
Tho are anxious to have carnival here after
he National drill which is to take place in
lay, have been discussing details in regard
0 the scheme. At the recent Mardi Gras in
Sew Orleans, the Knights of Momus and
he Knights of Proteus were the organiza-
ions which made the finest display, and
10Th are proposing to dispose of their out
its, which originally cost $4,000, cars and
at S., 900 and $1,000. Washing
on is disposed to hire instead of buy these
rappings, as expense could be saved in
hat way, and it is held tha: a sum of s25,
100 which will have to be raised by private
would be necessary to insure q
display. Il was urged that if the
carnival was not held this year it would not /,
oe possible to have it for four years. The !
Presidential campaign and the inauguration
would give all the displays needed foc two
years, and the Knights Templar conc!ave
you'd I'll up the third season.